From best burger to winning wine, Canberra’s hospitality champions revealed at 2023 AHA ACT Awards

Peter O'Malley with two men, accepting the John Press Award at the 2023 AHA ACT Awards

Peter Barclay of King O’Malley’s (centre) took the prestigious John Press Award. Photos: AHA ACT.

With innovation and collaboration, the future of hospitality and tourism in Canberra is bright, according to the recipient of the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) top gong in the ACT.

In front of over 350 attendees who had gathered at the National Arboretum, King O’Malley’s manager Peter Barclay claimed the prestigious John Press Award at the AHA ACT Awards for Excellence.

He said Canberra had done a remarkable job of shaking off the COVID cloud and continued to “punch well above its weight” in the number, diversity and quality of industry businesses.

“The challenges coming out of COVID have been persistent. Canberra is not unique in this, but looking at my fellow winners, finalists and nominees, you can see Canberra has the highest standard of hospitality venues and most diverse range of any in Australian city – and they’re all world-class,” he said.

“I believe this, combined with innovation and collaboration, is why our hospitality and tourism businesses continue to rally in our region.

“I’m particularly excited about our upcoming collaboration with Bentspoke Brewing, who also won awards on the night. The King O’Malley’s team had the privilege of sitting with Richard Watkins from Bentspoke to collaborate on a new beer we’re releasing in November.

“We’re so excited to be able to do this, and feel lucky to be in the kind of city that allows for those sorts of innovations because you don’t get that everywhere.”

The DOMA Hotels team was proud to claim the Best Innovation, Sustainability and Environmental Practice award.

Peter won the biggest award of the night for his “outstanding contribution to the industry and community”, which includes advisory positions aimed at making the industry safer and better for workers and patrons alike, enlivening Canberra’s nighttime economy and planning and promoting tourism excellence in the nation’s capital.

The award also recognised Peter and King O’Malley’s support of community events and charities, and its own innovative approach to community support. This included its annual Beard Competition and a recent free skin check clinic in the pub.

“Twenty-five people were able to have their skin checked; in fact, a couple were identified as needing follow-ups and went on to have biopsies. Playing a role in the early identification so that we can catch cancer at its treatable stage showed us that using our accessible places to reach people on important issues can really make a difference,” Peter said.

Despite the pub’s impact, he said the award was an unexpected honour.

“What wonderful recognition of the time I’ve spent in the industry, working with an incredible range of people over the years,” he said.

“I have to congratulate all the winners, finalists and nominees. Nobody would be in this industry without a passion for it.

“It’s been a privilege for me that I hope I’ve been able to share with the team at King O’Malley’s, to work in this exciting industry in such an amazing city where the future is looking bright.”

Staff from The Dock in Kingston Foreshore holding an AHA ACT Award for Best Sporting Entertainment Venue

The crew at The Dock took out the Best Sporting Entertainment Venue.

Many businesses took out multiple awards, including Mercure Belconnen Canberra, East Hotel, Jamala Wildlife Resort, Public Bar and Luna.

The QT Canberra team was stoked to claim both Best Wine List and Best Steak – a pairing to be proud of, according to general manager Joel Gordon.

“I’m immensely proud of the Capitol Bar & Grill team receiving these awards,” he said.

“This reflects dedication and passion applied to delivering the finest produce and an exceptional guest experience.”

AHA ACT general manager James Hawketts called the winning lineup a “fantastic representation of what the ACT has to offer in the hospitality, accommodation and tourism industries”.

“This Gala Dinner was a celebration of the industry’s resilience as we continue to navigate the challenges of this post-COVID-19 landscape,” he said.

“New challenges continue to arise, but we continue to find a way to not only survive but to thrive.”

The award winners were: